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Graphitic carbon nitride (gCN) has shown great potential in photocatalysis. Developing suitable cocatalysts is a critical way to enhance gCN's photocatalytic performance. In this paper cobalt–nickel bimetallic phosphide (CoNiP) was used as a cocatalyst to modify gCN. A gCN/CoNiP composite was successfully prepared by a simple hydrothermal method. XRD, XPS, SEM, UV-vis DRS, and PL characterization studies showed that a Schottky junction-like structure was constructed between gCN and CoNiP, which intensified the visible light response, enhanced the charge transfer rate and prohibited the recombination of photogenerated carriers, thus significantly improving gCN photocatalytic activity. Under simulated sunlight, the removal efficiency of methylene blue (10 mg L−1) was 97.8% by 120 min of irradiation, 44.6% higher than that of gCN. The quenching experiment showed that ˙O2−, ˙OH and h+ were the main active species. Based on the above points, the possible mechanism of photocatalysis was deduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, three-dimensional TiO2 nanoflowers (NFs) were prepared by a facile hydrothermal method, and Ag3PO4 was grown in situ following alkali treatment to design and synthesize a Ag3PO4/OH/TiO2 catalyst with excellent photocatalytic activity under visible light. The test results show that the photocatalytic degradation performance of TiO2 NFs after alkali treatment and Ag3PO4 loading is significantly improved. This is because the alkali treatment and the introduction of Ag3PO4 can provide a large amount of –OH, which can be converted to ˙OH under UV irradiation, followed by an increase in the number of active radicals to enhance the photocatalytic degradation performance. Meanwhile, the introduction of Ag3PO4 can effectively improve the light absorption ability of the photocatalyst. Moreover, the in situ growth of Ag3PO4 on TiO2 NFs can construct a high-quality Ag3PO4/TiO2 heterojunction to promote the charge separation and transport. Therefore, the degradation rate of Ag3PO4/OH/TiO2 can reach 90% after 30 min for degrading 3 mg L−1 RhB under visible light. The Ag3PO4/OH/TiO2 photocatalyst designed in the present work provides a new tool for the degradation of organic dyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing the piezoelectric polarization strength of materials to promote the photogenerated carrier separation is of great significance for piezoelectric polarization-assisted photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. In this paper, P-BiFeO3 composite photoelectrodes were synthesized by modifying BiFeO3 photoelectrodes with phosphate ions. The maximum photocurrent density of the P-BiFeO3 composite photoelectrodes could reach 0.87 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V vs RHE, which is significantly enhanced compared to the BiFeO3 photocurrent. The enhanced photoelectrochemical activity of the phosphate ion-modified BiFeO3 photoelectrodes may be attributed to the increased visible light absorption and larger active area due to the presence of phosphate groups. Furthermore, the photocurrent density of the P-BiFeO3 composite photoelectrodes after the introduction of the piezoelectric polarisation field reached 2.58 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V vs RHE, which was 2.2 times higher than that of BiFeO3 (1.17 mA cm−2). The presence of phosphate groups on the surface of BiFeO3 photoelectrodes can improve their asymmetry and increase their piezoelectric polarisation intensity, further enhancing the PEC water splitting performance of the material. This study provides a strategy for the design of highly active photoanodes with ionic modification to enhance the piezoelectric polarisation of the material to improve PEC water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting the separation of photoelectrons and holes can enhance the photocatalytic performance of photocatalysts. The combination of photocatalysts with piezoelectric materials is an effective way to improve the photocatalytic performance. In this paper, the heterogeneous structure of PZT/Ag2O is proposed, which can effectively improve its photocatalytic degradation performance through the piezoelectric effect. RhB degradation experiments were conducted under ultrasonic vibration and visible light irradiation to evaluate the photocatalytic performance of PZT/Ag2O. It is worth noting that PZT/Ag2O showed excellent piezo-/photocatalytic activity, and the degradation rate of RhB within 60 min was 96.31%, which was higher than those achieved under ultrasonic vibration (55.98%) and visible light irradiation (65.14%). The improved performance is due to the heterojunction construction widening the optical response range, while the piezoelectric effect provides a built-in polarization field to improve the separation efficiency of photogenerated electrons and holes. This study provides an efficient and feasible piezo-/photocatalyst for the treatment of pollutants. It is helpful to understand the mechanism of the piezoelectric effect and improve the photocatalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The activation capacity of molecular oxygen is an important indicator to evaluate the photocatalytic efficiency of photocatalysts. In this paper, WS2 nanosheet was deposited on hyper-crosslinked CTF-1-G (obtained by molecular expansion from covalent triazine framework CTF-1) to form a C-GW heterojunction, which promoted the photodegradation of pollutants and the activation of molecular oxygen. This novel C-GW heterojunction exhibited excellent degradation property for organic pollutants (tetracycline (TC), rhodamine B (RhB)) and activating molecular oxygen under visible light irradiation. Among them, C-GW15 could degrade 98% of 20 ppm TC in 60 min and 99% of 30 ppm RhB in 30 min, and it had the highest hydrogen generation rate and hydrogen production amount in 4 hours, which were 8.74 mmol h−1 g−1 and 34.94 mmol g−1, respectively. Meanwhile, C-GW15 had the strongest 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine oxidation capacity and could generate 1.83 μmol of ˙O2− in 60 min and the production of H2O2 was 20.8 μmol L−1 in 40 min. The results of this study clearly indicated that the combination of WS2 and CTF-1-G can enhance the visible light absorption capacity and photogenerated carrier separation efficiency, thus promoting the photocatalytic performance. Finally, a Z-type photocatalytic mechanism was proposed based on radical capture, molecular oxygen activation experiments and electron spin resonance analysis. These findings will extend the fundamental understanding of the Z-type photocatalytic mechanism and provide new opportunities for the rational design of CTF heterojunctions for the treatment of environmental pollution and clean energy conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building an optical filtration function into a microfluidic chip is a promising way of simplifying the optical detection system of a microfluidic device. In this paper, a PDMS microfluidic chip filter that is capable of transmitting chlorophyll fluorescence and blocking interfering light in the visible wavelength range was developed for living algae detection with a smartphone. The chip was fabricated by sealing a layer of crystal violet solution in a PDMS layer on the top of the Sudan II-doped PDMS slab, which has a straight microchannel. Optimum dye concentrations and thicknesses for the crystal violet solution layer and Sudan II-doped PDMS slab were investigated and determined by spectrum measurements. It was found that the cut-on range of this integrated microfluidic chip is extended to about 625 nm and the transmittance in the chlorophyll fluorescence range (650 nm to 710 nm) is as high as 95%, when 25 mg L−1 Sudan II-doped PDMS slab (with a 3 mm thickness) and 2 mg L−1 crystal violet solution (with a 0.3 mm thickness) were used. Living algae detection using this chlorophyll-fluorescence-filtering PDMS microfluidic chip and a smartphone-based imaging platform was achieved, and the results compared favorably with those using a commercial filter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BiVO4, as a visible light catalyst, produces photogenerated electrons and photogenerated holes that are easy to recombine. In this paper, a BiVO4/Ag2O composite was prepared to promote the separation of photogenerated carriers of BiVO4. Compared with BiVO4, the properties and photocatalytic activity of BiVO4/Ag2O were obviously improved. The improvement of BiVO4/Ag2O was reflected in the better separation of photogenerated electrons and photogenerated holes, higher UV-visible maximum absorption wavelength, and stronger ability to degrade doxycycline. The effects of Ag2O on the crystal structure, the morphology and the binding energy of BiVO4 were analyzed by XRD, XPS and SEM, and the existence of a heterojunction in BiVO4/Ag2O was confirmed. The results of capture experiments showed that the photocatalytic processes of BiVO4 and BiVO4/Ag2O produced hydroxyl radicals (˙OH), holes (h+) and superoxide radicals (˙O2−). However, the contribution of active species was different in the two systems. The degradation pathways and intermediate products of doxycycline were analyzed by UPLC-QTOF. This work proposed a new method for the preparation of BiVO4/Ag2O particles with remarkable photocatalytic activity, and provided a reference for the degradation of doxycycline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar-driven water splitting offers a leading-edge approach to storing abundant and intermittent solar energy and producing hydrogen as a clean and sustainable energy carrier. More importantly, constructing well-designed photocatalysts is a promising approach to develop clean hydrogen energy. In this paper, flower spherical UiO-66-(SCH3)2/ZnIn2S4 (UiOSC/ZIS) photocatalysts are successfully synthesized by a simple two-step hydrothermal method, and they exhibit high hydrogen production activity in light-driven water splitting. The optimized 30-UiOSC/ZIS (the content of UiOSC was 30 mg) composite exhibits optimal hydrogen production activity with a hydrogen production of 3433 μmol g−1 h−1, which is 5 and 235 times higher than that of pure ZIS and UiOSC, respectively. In addition, a long-cycling stability test has shown that the UiOSC/ZIS composite has good stability and recyclability. Experimental and characterization results show the formation of a type-II heterojunction between UiOSC and ZIS. This effectively suppresses the recombination of electrons–holes and promotes the carrier transfer, thus significantly improving the hydrogen production performance. This research further promotes the application of UiO-66-(SCH3)2 in the field of photocatalytic hydrogen production and provides a reference for the rational design of UiO-66-based composite photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heterojunction structure of semiconductor photocatalysts is significant for making full use of their capabilities for organic molecules and dye degradation. In this paper, we present a heterogeneous junction composite fabricated with hybrid phase TiO2 and g-C3N4 for methylene blue (MB) removal through adsorption and photocatalytic degradation. The heterogeneous junction system was prepared by hydrothermal treatment with a subsequent pyrolysis process. The variation of the proportion and lattice structure of hybrid phase TiO2 in the synthesized catalysts was analyzed by refinement. Adsorption experiments showed that the maximum adsorption capacity of TiO2/g-C3N4 (1 : 10) was 1667 mg g−1, which was 45.97 times and 63.78 times higher than that of TiO2 and g-C3N4, respectively. In the photodegradation process, the TiO2/g-C3N4 (1 : 10) photocatalyst shows a removal rate of MB of 100 mg L−1, which was as high as 96.262%, significantly higher than that of pure TiO2 and g-C3N4. Brunner–Emmett–Teller (BET) measurements and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed that the adsorption of MB onto TiO2/g-C3N4(1 : 10) was chemical adsorption, and ˙OH, which acts as an active substance, was found to play a major role in the photocatalytic degradation process. Overall, the developed hybrid phase TiO2/g-C3N4 heterojunction composite may be beneficial for the treatment of water pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perfluoroalkyl groups containing bicyclo[1.1.1]pentanes (BCPs) are gaining increasing interest in the pharmaceutical industry and materials science; however, the development of an efficient methodology to construct perfluoroalkylated BCPs remains a challenging task. In this paper, we present a metal-free strategy to synthesize 1-perfluoroalkyl-3-heteroaryl bicyclo[1.1.1]pentanes using an electron donor-acceptor (EDA) complex for the perfluoroalkylation of [1.1.1]propellane. After visible light irradiation, the resulting EDA complexes formed by perfluoroalkyl iodide and DBU lead to the generation of perfluoroalkyl radicals. These then sequentially react with highly strained [1.1.1]propellane and various heterocyclic compounds. Mechanistic studies revealed that this method proceeded via a radical chain reaction. This strategy may provide a versatile and sustainable way to obtain 1-perfluoroalkyl-3-heteroaryl bicyclo[1.1.1]pentanes with good functional group tolerance under mild conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a series of BN/NTCDA photocatalysts have been prepared using a simple calcination method and their photocatalytic performance under visible light irradiation is studied with tetracycline (TC) as the target pollutant. When the ratio of BN and NTCDA is 100 : 1 and the temperature is 350 °C, the sample (BN/NTCDA (100 : 1)) has the highest adsorption efficiency (28.65%) and photodegradation efficiency (51.54%) for TC. The characterization results of XRD, FTIR, XPS, TEM, and 1H NMR show that BN/NTCDA (100 : 1) is a BN-based photocatalytic material, which is likely formed through the reaction of the surface hydroxyl group of BN and the anhydride of NTCDA. The band gap of BN is about 4.11 eV, and the band gap of NTCDA is 2.67 eV. So, the electron is firstly excited from the VB of NTCDA to its CB, and then the electron in the VB of BN is excited into the empty VB of NTCDA, implying that TC is degraded by photoactive species (˙O2−, h+ and ˙OH) from the VB of BN and CB of NTCDA. The capture experiment of photoactive species suggests that ˙O2− makes the main contribution to TC photodegradation, followed by h+, ˙OH. After five recycle experiments, BN/NTCDA (100 : 1) still has 77.32% removal efficiency for TC. The removal efficiency (80.19%) of BN/NTCDA (100 : 1) is higher than that of TiO2 (75.63%) and g-C3N4 (24.44%). This work contributes to the development of novel metal-free-photocatalysts and the application of photocatalytic technology to the removal of antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, Eu/F co-doped bismuth vanadate photocatalysts with different doping ratios were prepared by a hydrothermal method, and their microscopic morphology, crystal structure, light absorption and photocatalytic performance were investigated. Part of the F in the Eu/F co-doped samples might be doped to replace O in the BiVO4 lattice, while Eu3+ ions replaced Bi3+ ions, which led to a difference in the morphology and internal structure. XRD and Raman spectroscopy characterization showed that the crystal structures of the samples were all monoclinic scheelite type, and contained a certain tetragonal scheelite type, and the crystallinity was good. The Eu/F co-doped samples exhibited better photoactivity under UV-Vis light. The recombination rate of the photogenerated carriers in the Eu/F co-doped samples was obviously reduced, but it showed a serious concentration dependence on the doping species. Under visible light irradiation, Eu/F co-doped samples (R = 0.75) had the best degradation effect on methylene blue (MB). In addition, the degradation mechanism of the photocatalyst was also explored. ˙O2− and h+ were the main active species affecting the degradation of MB by Eu/F–BiVO4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing a suitable heterojunction structure while maintaining a tight interface to promote the separation of photogenerated electrons is of great significance for improving the photocatalytic activity. In this paper, a new PANI/NH2-MIL-101(Fe) II-scheme heterojunction was prepared by a hydrothermal method. PANI with a porous structure was firstly obtained by the template method, and then PANI fragments were loaded on the surface of NH2-MIL-101(Fe) crystals under hydrothermal conditions to obtain a PANI/NH2-MIL-101(Fe) photocatalyst. The photocatalytic degradation of TC under simulated sunlight can reach 90% within an hour, and the maximum hydrogen evolution rate is 7040 μmol g−1 h−1 under visible light. The enhanced catalytic performance of PANI/NH2-MIL-101(Fe) was attributed to the appropriate matching of the VB and CB of PANI and NH2-MIL-101(Fe), and secondly, the coordination bonds formed between PANI and NH2-MIL-101(Fe) provided a channel for charge separation and transfer. Finally, a possible mechanism of the photocatalytic system was proposed through a free radical capture experiment and characterization analysis. More importantly, the experiment proved that the heterojunction formed by PANI and NH2-MIL-101(Fe) can achieve the effect of complementing each other, which provides a feasible idea and method for the design of efficient heterojunction photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, progress has been made in fabricating diamond-based scintillators with integrated rare-earth luminescent particles. These luminescent particles are integrated into the bulk of diamond during their synthesis by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). However, the growth conditions include a chemically aggressive plasma environment and elevated temperatures, which results in the partial degradation of particles and a decrease in the intensity of their luminescence. Here, we investigate the effect of thermal annealing of luminescent EuF3 and SrF2:Eu powders in microwave plasma that simulates the growth conditions of polycrystalline diamond. It was found that silicon substrates act as efficient reducing agents that lead to the partial reduction of trivalent europium to divalent europium. When annealing occurs on a diamond substrate, the reduction processes proceed at a significantly slower rate. The observed luminescence spectra showed both Eu2+ and Eu3+ luminescence bands, which allows for a targeted tuning of the luminescence spectrum of europium in composites and can be used to fabricate detectors and visualizers of X-ray radiation using a visible signal from the desired combination of Eu2±/Eu3± ions. During plasma annealing in pure hydrogen at moderate temperatures (600 °C), an intensive hydrogenation of particles is observed. Such hydrogen plasma treatment of fluorides may be considered a promising route to fabricate hydrides of various metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BiOCl has garnered considerable attention recently. However, its relatively wide bandgap and poor separation efficiency of charge carriers limit its application in the visible light range. Introducing oxygen vacancies (OVs) and constructing heterojunctions are both considered as viable modification approaches. In this study, oxygen vacancy-rich BiOCl/Bi24O31Cl10 heterojunctions were synthesized using glycine as the fuel by a one-pot self-propagation method. Variations in the amount of fuel led to differences in OV concentration and heterojunction composition in the prepared samples. The XRD pattern, FTIR spectra and EDS confirmed the formation of BiOCl/Bi24O31Cl10 heterojunctions. The XPS and ESR spectra proved the existence of oxygen vacancies. The BET results showed that the sample prepared with an appropriate amount of glycine exhibited a larger specific surface area. The most effective OVs-BiOCl/Bi24O31Cl10 composite demonstrated improvements in degrading rhodamine B (RhB), showing 8.09 and 17.96 times greater efficiency compared to BiOCl and Bi24O31Cl10, respectively. It achieved 93% dye degradation within 30 minutes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of technology and industries has led to environmental pollution and caused serious harm to living beings. Photocatalysis has attracted widespread attention as an efficient way to increase the purity of air and water by controlling environmental pollution. Several materials such as metal oxides, chalcogenides, and semiconductors have emerged as outstanding photocatalysts because of their cleaner processes, low cost, chemical stability, high photo-catalytic ability, non-toxicity, and ability to absorb UV/visible radiations. In this review, photocatalytic activities of metal oxides and other materials are studied for environmental remediation and other applications. Some major materials used as photocatalysts include TiO2, ZnO, CuO, Fe2O3, ZnS, MOFs, COFs, graphene, g-C3N4, CNTs and bismuth oxides. The present article discusses the size, structure, surface area, morphology, and band gap of photocatalysts. These are the crucial factors for photocatalysis and influence photocatalytic kinetics. This review summarizes the use of various materials as photocatalysts in numerous applications such as the degradation of inorganic or organic pollutants, environmental remediation, air purification, CO2 photoreduction and water splitting for hydrogen production. Finally, a conclusion is drawn regarding future research plans to make photocatalyst materials more efficient and stable for environmental and industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Latent fingerprint (LFP) detection is an important tool in criminal offense detection. Nowadays, ultraviolet (UV) excited visible emission phosphors are widely used in LFP detection; however, due to the shortcomings of UV excitation (λex < 270 nm) such as low power, high price, and susceptibility of visible light to the influence of natural light, their application in LFP detection is restrained. Here, a new idea is proposed: the use of blue light-excited near-infrared (NIR) emitting phosphors as a tool for fingerprint detection visualization. To this end, in this work, a series of blue-excited (λex = 467 nm) NIR phosphors Ca(1−x)SrxO:Eu2+ (x = 0–0.2) were designed based on CaO:Eu2+ by using the crystal field engineering strategy. When x = 0.2, the luminescence center is red-shifted from 733 nm to 783 nm, and the full width at half maximum (FWHM) is broadened from 100 nm to 156 nm, and the red-shift and broadening of the spectrum greatly improve the accuracy of fingerprint detection. Finally, Ca0.8Sr0.2O:0.1%Eu2+ gives high-quality visualized fingerprints in LFP detection, which is a good solution to the problems faced by UV-excited visible-emitting phosphors in LFP detection. Not only that, a NIR phosphor-converted light-emitting diode (NIR pc-LED) was prepared by combining Ca0.8Sr0.2O:0.1%Eu2+ with a blue LED chip, which was verified to have the potential for applications in biological tissue penetration and night vision illumination. This work introduces a new idea for the detection of a LFP and demonstrates that rationalizing the local structure around Eu2+ is an effective strategy for exploring Eu2+-doped NIR luminescent phosphors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of advanced efficient and durable non-precious metal-based anode catalysts for photo-assisted direct methanol fuel cells remains a significant challenge. In this study, Ce-doped Co3O4 (Ce–Co3O4) was prepared by a three-step process involving hydrothermal synthesis, cation exchange and calcination. The introduction of Ce can not only induce more Co3+ with oxidation properties, but also expand the light absorption range and improve the separation efficiency of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. In an alkaline solution and under visible light irradiation, Ce–Co3O4 showed high current density (31.4 A g−1), high photo-response current (3.52 A g−1) and good long-term stability (the current density retention was 82% after 13 h under visible light irradiation). The reaction mechanism for the photo-assisted methanol oxidation was investigated by a series of optical characterization studies (UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, Mott–Schottky, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and electron paramagnetic resonance). The results indicated that the strong oxidative photogenerated hole (h+), ˙OH, and ˙O2− were beneficial for the oxidation of methanol and COads. This study provides a good idea for the design of efficient non-precious metal based anode catalysts for photo-assisted direct methanol fuel cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, an operationally simple and mild protocol for defluorinative alkylation and arylation between thianthrenium salts and α-trifluoromethyl alkene with visible light to afford gem-difluoroolefins has been developed. The main feature of this method is avoiding the use of a metal photocatalyst, and an organic photocatalyst is unnecessary for the arylation reaction. In addition, thianthrene can also be recycled and transformed to thianthrenium salts without affecting the efficiency of these reactions. The protocol demonstrates excellent tolerance of functional groups and viable functionalization of late-stage natural products and pharmaceutically relevant molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we have synthesized and characterized three visible light responsive terpyridine based-Re(I)-tricarbonyl complexes; [Re(CO)3(ph-tpy)Cl] (Retp1), [Re(CO)3(an-tpy)Cl] (Retp2), and [Re(CO)3(py-tpy)Cl] (Retp3) where ph-tpy = 4′-phenyl-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine; an-tpy = 4′-anthracenyl-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine, py-tpy = 4′-pyrenyl-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine. The structures of Retp1 and Retp2 were confirmed from the SC-XRD data, indicating distorted octahedral structures. Unlike traditional PDT agents, these complexes generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) via type I and type II pathways and oxidized redox crucial NADH (reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) upon visible light exposure. Retp3 showed significant mitochondrial localization and demonstrated photoactivated anticancer activity (IC50 ∼ 2 µM) by inducing ROS-mediated cell death in cancer cells selectively (photocytotoxicity Index, PI > 28) upon compromising mitochondrial function in A549 cells. Their diagnostic capabilities were ultimately assessed using clinically relevant 3D multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visible-light active heterogeneous photocatalysts offer various advantages owing to their ability to exploit clean, renewable, and economically viable visible light as a driving force. This study aims to develop such photocatalysts by incorporating various loadings (10, 20, and 30 wt%) of bismuth tungstate (Bi2WO6 or BWO) into graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4 or CN) nanosheets. The CN nanosheets and BWO nanomaterials are synthesized using an eco-friendly hydrothermal method. The objective is to evaluate the photocatalytic activity of these catalysts for the Knoevenagel condensation reaction under 12 W blue LED light (low power), aiming to outperform the activity of pure CN. Various characterization methods, including XRD, UV-vis DRS, FTIR, PL, XPS, and TEM, are employed to analyze the catalysts. The study specifically focuses on the performance of the various BWO loading percentages on CN nanosheets. Among those, 20 wt% BWO loaded CN achieves a yield of 80% with minimal activity decline over five recyclability cycles. Furthermore, this study identifies that BWO/CN follows a Z-scheme pathway, enhancing the photocatalytic performance and facilitating organic transformations. Scavenging experiments confirm the formation of radicals during photocatalysis, validating the proposed mechanism and providing crucial mechanistic insights. Ultimately, this research seeks to highlight BWO/CN as a promising, environmentally friendly photoactive substance with significant potential for effective photocatalytic use. To our knowledge, this is the first study to use BWO/CN catalysts for the Knoevenagel condensation reaction under blue LED irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This method describes the iron-promoted amidation of dioxazolone under visible light to obtain aromatic/alkyl substituted amides. The nitrogen radicals formed during this process undergo hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) to form amides through the proton provided by HBpin. This reaction eliminates the need for external chemical oxidants and expensive photocatalysts, and exhibits compatibility with various aryl/alkyl substituted derivatives. This method has good prospects for application and development in organic synthesis and medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exploration of new open-framework polyoxometalates is very significant in structural chemistry and materials science. Herein, three new organic hybrid three-dimensional vanadium borophosphates (H3O)7(H2aeae)3{[Cd(H2O)3]2[H3O⊃(V2BP2O12)6]}·15H2O (1, aeae = 2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethanol) and (H3O)5(H2aeae)3{[TM(H2O)2.5(H2aeae)0.5]2[H3O⊃ (V2BP2O12)6]}·9H2O [TM = Mn(2), Co(3)] were hydrothermally prepared and structurally characterized. The three vanadium borophosphates contain similar 12-member ring crown-shaped clusters [(V2BP2O12)6]18− based on the linkage of six [V2O8] dimers and six [BP2O10] units. The [(V2BP2O12)6]18− cluster is further bridged by the unsaturated [Cd(H2O)3]2+ or [TM(H2O)2.5(H2aeae)0.5]3+ complexes to build new types of open-framework vanadium borophosphates with pores and cavities retained by the protonated H2aeae2+, H3O+ and free H2O. Surprisingly, the monodentate H2aeae2+ ligand coordinating with a metal center was observed in 2 and 3 for the first time as the aeae molecule acted as the trichelating ligand. Their optical absorption edges were determined to be in the range of 2.61–2.68 eV using solid-state UV-vis spectroscopy. 1–3 exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity towards methylene blue (MB) degradation under visible light irradiation, which presented the first example of organic hybrid open-framework vanadium borophosphates as the photo-catalysts for MB degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employing a chiral N∧N-donor ligand (−)-4,5-pinene-2,2′-bipyridine (L) to react with Pr(dbm)3(H2O) and Ho(dbm)3(H2O), respectively, two chiral mononuclear lanthanide (LnIII) complexes with the formula [Ln(dbm)3(L)] [Ln = Pr (1) and Ho (2)] were obtained, in which dbm− = dibenzoylmethanate. Investigation on their photoluminescence properties reveals that 1 and 2 display characteristic near-infrared (NIR) emissions of PrIII and HoIII ions upon excitation with visible light (410 nm), respectively. More notably, study on their nonlinear optical (NLO) responses unveils that 1 and 2 not only present second-harmonic generation (SHG) responses due to their noncentrosymmetric molecular structures, but also exhibit strong third-harmonic generation (THG) responses simultaneously. THG intensities of 1 and 2 are 46.7 and 66.5 × α-SiO2, respectively, which are outstanding among the reported THG-active mononuclear LnIII complexes. 1 and 2 represent the first examples of LnIII complexes not only showing NIR luminescence but also displaying simultaneous SHG and THG responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, based on the electrostatic adsorption theory, a direct Z-scheme NH2-UiO-66/BiOCl composite photocatalyst was prepared by a one-step solvothermal method with NH2-UiO-66 embedded on the smooth surface of flower-like BiOCl without additional chlorine source to form a close contact interface. The photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) of 1.0-NH2-UiO-66/BiOCl(1.0-NUBC) prepared under simulated sunlight was 1.63 times and 78.84 times that of pure BiOCl and pure NH2-UiO-66, respectively. The reason for the enhanced photocatalytic performance may be that electrostatic adsorption promotes the homogeneous and orderly synthesis of heterogeneous structures, significantly increasing the ratio of NH2-UiO-66/BiOCl surface, which not only improves the visible light response range but also promotes the formation of the interface electric field between NH2-UiO-66 and BiOCl interface. The separation and transfer of the photogenerated electron–hole pairs are greatly promoted. Therefore, this study provides an effective way for the synthesis of BiOCl/MOF composites and has a good application prospect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emission of cyan light (470–500 nm), an essential component of the visible light spectrum, plays a crucial role in lighting, display, and light communication. CsPbBr3 quantum dots (QDs) have shown excellent performance in the green spectral regions, with high color purity, efficiency, and brightness. In order to shift the emission wavelength to the cyan, mixed-halide compositions and quantum-confinement engineering have been employed. Unfortunately, mixed-halide perovskites exhibit undesirable phase separation during optical and electrical excitations, leading to spectral instability. Quantum confinement in pure-halide QDs requires synthetic protocols that involve high loading of long-chain insulating ligands. In this study, we report color-stable cyan CsPbBr3 quantum dots (C-PQDs) by surface passivation via incorporating Zn2+ cations. The incorporation of ZnBr2 into the precursor solution facilitates Zn2+ and Br− substitution into the QDs surface/subsurface layers to induce passivation of existing Pb2+ and Br− vacancies and increase the photoluminescence quantum yield from 53.6% to 96.4% at 480 nm. Moreover, after storage under ambient conditions for 30 days or exposure to ultraviolet light for 60 minutes or heating at 333 K, the PL intensity of ZnBr2-treated C-PQDs only shows a minimal decrease. Furthermore, white and cyan light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are successfully constructed, suggesting that the proposed ZnBr2-treated strategy can promote the development of perovskite materials for a wider range of optoelectronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new cobalt-based metal–organic framework with the chemical formula of [Co2(DClTPA)2(DABCO)]·(DMF)4 (MUT-16) containing 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) and 2,5-dichloroterephthalic acid (DClTPA) has been designed and prepared through a solvothermal method. MUT-16 (MUT = Materials from University of Tehran) crystallized in a tetragonal system with I41/acd space group, based on single-crystal X-ray analysis. The Ag@MUT-16 nanocomposite was prepared using Ag nanoparticles (NPs) loaded into/onto porous MUT-16via photoreduction route (PR). The MUT-16 and Ag@MUT-16 were characterized using various techniques, such as PXRD, FT-IR, FE-SEM, TEM, EDX, N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms, TGA, DRS, PL, EIS, and Mott–Schottky measurements. The Ag@MUT-16 nanocomposite showed photocatalytic activity of 87.75% in the degradation of Quinoline Yellow (QY) after 30 min under visible light irradiation. The distinctive characteristics of the Ag@MUT-16 nanocomposite, such as the Fenton-like effect of Co2+ ions, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of Ag NPs, Schottky junction at interfaces between Ag NPs and MUT-16, and reduction of electron–hole recombination through electron trapping by Ag NPs as co-catalyst, all play significant roles in the photocatalytic degradation of Quinoline Yellow (QY). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selective oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes/ketones is an important reaction in the fine and bulk chemicals fields. However, the classical alcohol oxidation methods are often performed under unfriendly conditions or use stoichiometric oxidants. Herein, we report an ingenious system that enables high selectivity (up to 99%) and high conversion (up to 97%) with high reaction rates in the aerobic oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes/ketones for a broad range of alcohols, proceeding smoothly via mixing the solvent ethyl acetate and HBr under ambient conditions with visible light irradiation. Experimental characterization and theoretical calculations reveal that solvated dispersion intermediates are formed spontaneously in situ through noncovalent interactions among the molecules in the reaction system, which is proposed to be the origin of the high selectivity and high activity of this reaction. The dispersion system provides a feasible activation approach for aerobic oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes/ketones with high performance under visible light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of high-efficiency photocatalytic materials responsive to visible light is one of the most effective ways to address the environmental threats posed by organic dyes in industrial wastewater. In this paper, novel visible-light-responsive nitrogen–sulfur co-doped carbon quantum dots modified ZnO (ZnO/N,S-CQDs) composites with a significantly enhanced photocatalytic degradation performance of Rhodamine B (RhB) were successfully synthesized. Under visible light, the photocatalytic degradation efficiency reached 98.7% over the optimal composite. Besides, the degradation obeyed the pseudo-first-order kinetics model with a photocatalytic rate constant (k) of 0.0473 min−1, which was around 3.71 times higher than that of pure ZnO nanoparticles (0.01273 min−1). In addition, the morphology, size and elemental composition of the ZnO/N,S-CQDs were characterized using TEM, SEM, XRD, FT-IR, and XPS which confirmed the successful synthesis of the composites. Photoluminescence (PL) and transient photocurrent response results indicated an increase in the carrier separation efficiency of ZnO/N,S-CQDs. Based on the active species removal experiment, superoxide radicals (˙O2−) played a leading role in the photocatalytic reactions and a possible photocatalytic degradation mechanism was revealed. These further demonstrate that the N,S-CQDs with varying properties contributed significantly to the enhanced photocatalytic activity of ZnO. Overall, the present method follows the principle of green economy, and novel N,S-CQDs provide a feasible approach for the development of photocatalytic performance of ZnO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanostructured H2 evolution cocatalysts are able to promote charge separation and thus enhance the efficiency of the photocatalytic H2 evolution reaction (HER). However, the nanosized cocatalyst particles are easily detached from the surfaces of semiconductors or severely aggregated in reaction systems, which not only greatly reduces the photocatalytic HER efficiency during long-term use but also greatly increases the difficulty of recovery. Moreover, powdery cocatalysts have poor compatibility with the scale-up photoelectrochemical devices. In this paper, a monolithic cocatalyst is developed by controllably growing Ni2P nanowire arrays on Ni foam substrate (Ni2P NWAs/NF) via a direct vapor-phase phosphorization method. The grown Ni2P NWAs with high specific surface areas can not only offer ample active sites for the HER, but also serve as scaffolds for anchoring dye molecules to maximize the light utilization efficiency, which endows the Ni2P NWAs/NF monolithic cocatalyst with excellent HER activity. When sensitized with Erythrosin B (ErB) in triethanolamine (TEOA) solution, the turnover number (TON) of H2 evolution based on ErB reaches 9.7 in 5 h under visible light. Notably, the good structural integrity and inherent magnetism enable the Ni2P NWAs/NF to be easily separated from the reaction solution and excellent catalytic H2 evolution stability over a 45 h cycling reaction. This work presents a new strategy of fabricating monolithic cocatalysts with controllable microstructure and functionalities as well as high activity, durability, and device-compatibility for large-scale solar energy conversion applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Z-scheme Cr2O3–Fe3O4/C hetero-nanostructure polyhedra are prepared using the amine-functionalized metal–organic framework NH2-MIL-101(Fe) as the precursor through a simple hydrothermal method and impregnation–calcination route. Systematic characterization was conducted on the phase structure, morphology, optical/electrochemical properties and the photocatalytic performance exhibited by the magnetic Cr2O3–Fe3O4/C samples. As observed from the results, Congo red (CR) degradation rates of the magnetic polyhedron-like Cr2O3–Fe3O4/C hetero-nanostructures under visible light are found to be nearly 1.86 and 1.21 times higher than those achieved by Cr2O3 and Fe3O4/C samples, respectively. Complying with the results achieved by the active specie tests, superoxide radicals could be the major active species in the CR photocatalytic degradation due to graphite carbon with high conductivity. On this basis, a model Z-scheme photogenerated carrier transfer system was developed. In the present paper, an approach for developing and designing Z-scheme hetero-nanostructure photocatalysts for purifying wastewater is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel pristine carbon nitride (np-CN) with hollow capsule-like morphology was facilely prepared by the thermal polymerization of melamine and cyanuric chloride at 550 1C in air for 4 h. Then, modified carbon nitride (CN-P4mg) micro-flakes with zigzag edges were synthesized by the copolymerization of melamine, cyanuric chloride, and triaminotriphenylamine with a mass fraction of 0.13%. Analysis of the microstructure, surface state, porosity, and optoelectronic properties of the two samples indicates that CN-P4mg has a larger specific surface area and a lower bandgap than np-CN. Under visible light, CN-P4mg displays enhanced photocatalytic performance for the generation of hydrogen compared to that of np-CN and bulk graphite carbon nitride (g-C3N4). The photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate of CN-P4mg reaches 16897.3 mmol g-1 h-1, which is 1.84 times that of np-CN and 72 times that of bulk g-C3N4. The experimental results confirm that the addition of triaminotriphenylamine provides a modified design for developing metal-free carbon nitride derivatives and a new route to study efficient photocatalytic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we designed and synthesized a novel pH and NIR light responsive UCNP/TiO2/Cur@ZIF-8 nano-composite. The newly synthesized nano-platform was characterized using spectroscopic methods. Here, upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) and titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) were encapsulated to upconvert energy through the photosensitizing phenomenon where the chemotherapeutic agent curcumin (Cur) and TiO2 synergistically achieved therapeutic effects. At first, ZIF-8 decomposed in the acidic microenvironment of tumors that assisted TiO2 NPs to efficiently convert the irradiated near infrared (NIR) 808 nm light into UV visible light, thus producing a large number of reactive oxygen species to effectively inhibit tumor growth. Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo data demonstrated that UCNP/TiO2/Cur@ZIF-8 is an excellent nanoplatform that can be used as NIR-mediated photodynamic as well as chemotherapeutic therapy for tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GreenChemistry Cutting- edge research for a greener sustainable future rsc. li/ greenchem Volume 26 Number 10 21 May 2024 Pages 5585- 6220 ISSN 1463- 9262 PAPER Indrajit Ghosh, Burkhard König et al. C( sp 2 )– S cross- coupling reactions with nickel, visible light, and mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride [Extracted from the article]

A novel CdS@TiO2@C/Ti3C2 composite as a high-efficiency photocatalyst for the degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride (TC-HCl) was fabricated by in situ oxidizing two-dimensional (2D) layered transition metal Ti3C2 MXene and subsequently compounding with CdS nanoparticles (NPs) via a two-step hydrothermal method. Benefitting from the in situ oxidation of Ti3C2 MXene, the derived TiO2@C/Ti3C2 composites possess excellent interface contact and uniform morphology distribution. Furthermore, the in situ grown TiO2 displays a nanosheet (NS) structure with high-energy (001) facets, which could bring about unique surface heterojunctions between the (101) and (001) facets of the TiO2 NSs. On the above basis, CdS NPs are introduced to effectively improve the light-harvesting ability in the visible region due to the narrow band gap and enlarged surface area. Meanwhile, the separation and transfer efficiencies of photo-generated carriers are significantly enhanced by the synergistic effect of the C/Ti3C2 matrix, surface heterojunctions of the TiO2 NSs and heterojunctions of CdS/TiO2. Therefore, the CdS@TiO2@C/Ti3C2 composites display remarkably enhanced photocatalytic ability for TC-HCl degradation under the irradiation of visible light, and the CdS@TiO2@C/Ti3C2-2 sample exhibits optimal photodegradation efficiency with a value of 85% within 60 min, which is 8.5 times higher than that of the TiO2@C/Ti3C2 sample. Additionally, the corresponding improved mechanism is also deeply discussed in the present paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic hydrogen (H2) evolution can effectively solve the global energy problem, in which the key factor is the synthesis of efficient photocatalytic materials. In this study, we successfully synthesized a novel photocatalyst, BiWCo/CuS/PGCN, by functionalizing porous graphitic carbon nitride (PGCN) with sandwich-type polyoxometalate Na3.5Co4[Bi2Co2W19.75O70(H2O)6]·39.5H2O (BiWCo) and introducing copper sulfide (CuS) nanoparticles as a cocatalyst. This approach was aimed at enhancing the built inner electric field between interfaces, resulting in a significant improvement in photocatalytic H2 evolution performance. This research adopts a step-by-step method to synthesize BiWCo/CuS/PGCN composites with p–n heterojunctions, which has high visible light absorption and a synergistic effect of multiple elements. PGCN with a high specific surface area contributes to the uniform distribution of active sites. In addition, the nano-CuS cocatalyst provides abundant active sites and more electron transfer pathways for photocatalysis. Therefore, the H2 production efficiency of BiWCo/CuS/PGCN is 6.3 times that of PGCN, 4.5 times that of BiWCo and 2.5 times that of BiWCo/PGCN under visible light. The H2 production rate of BiWCo/CuS/PGCN reaches 3477.58 μmol g−1 h−1. At the same time, the ternary photocatalyst shows high stability after 30 hours and 5 cycles. This work demonstrates that BiWCo/CuS/PGCN has good application prospects in H2 evolution, and provides a new strategy for the design of efficient ternary photocatalytic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive strategies with the development of advanced materials are required for the remediation of water and land pollution to protect the environment and human health. In this regard, iron oxide catalysts are recognized as preferable catalysts for the heterogeneous photo-Fenton process, which is an efficient technique for degrading organic pollutants in waste water. The present study discusses the photocatalytic performance of iron oxide-based catalysts synthesized from industrial waste red mud for methylene blue degradation under visible light irradiation. XRD studies confirmed the formation of a pure α-Fe2O3 (hematite) phase, whereas the doping of iron oxide with Mn, Cu, and Ce was ascertained by XPS analysis. 3 wt% Cu doped iron oxide with a TOC value of ∼84.7% showed the best removal efficacy to the tune of ∼91% within 60 min of visible light irradiation. Impedance data supports the enhanced charge separation in metal doped α-Fe2O3, which improves the photocatalytic performance. A similar trend was observed in photo-electrochemical (PEC) properties, where Cu doped Fe2O3 showed 2 times higher photocurrent than the bare one. Based on scavenging tests, electrons and hydroxyl radicals (˙OH) were shown to be major players in the photodegradation of pollutants under visible light. A probable mechanism explaining the enhanced e−/h+ pair separation and migration was proposed by examining electrochemical properties. This work has significant implications for wastewater treatment with the efficient use of industrial waste red mud as a cost-effective resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is essential to design and fabricate semiconductor-based photocatalysts with excellent activity to split H2O into H2 and O2 using sunlight because of the depletion of fossil resources and environmental pollution. LaVO4 is a visible light catalyst with a narrow band gap, satisfactory stability, and a low price. Therefore, in this work, alkali metal-doped LaVO4 was manufactured. Alkali metal-modified LaVO4 was prepared by a hydrothermal method as a photocatalyst for water splitting under visible light illumination, and a series of characterizations was carried out. The results showed that alkali metal doping improved the catalytic performance of pure LaVO4 and mainly optimized the hydrogen and oxygen production of Na-doped LaVO4 so that a maximum H2 and O2 evolution of 2.83 and 0.71 mmol g-1 h-1, respectively was obtained. The superior photocatalytic activity of Na-doped LaVO4 was mainly attributed to synergistic effects, including the extended visible-light response and improved charge separation. This study provides a new idea for the design of a highly efficient LaVO4-based water-cracking photocatalys.t. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fabrication of environmentally friendly materials for wastewater remediation represents a promising approach. Thus, we present the fabrication of nanostructured CoFe2O4 (CF) particles entangled within a hydrogel-based matrix composed of carboxy methyl cellulose-psyllium-RGO (CPRHG/CF). The functionality, composition, and nature of the fabricated composite were characterized using FTIR, XRD, and XPS techniques. Furthermore, the internal and surface morphology was analyzed through FE-SEM and HR-TEM imaging. To assess the photo activity, UV-Vis and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy were employed, confirming that CPRHG/CF exhibits significant potential for light absorption in the visible spectrum while minimizing the charge recombination rate. The fabricated CPR/CFHG composite hydrogel was employed for the removal of pharmaceutical effluent, tramadol (TMD), via both adsorption and photocatalysis processes. In batch adsorption experiments lasting 2 hours, the composite hydrogel demonstrated impressive adsorption efficiency of 92.93% and a maximum adsorption capacity of 89.97 mg g-1. Subsequently, during photocatalytic treatment under 1 h of solar illumination, approximately 90.36% of the TMD was successfully degraded. The degradation process followed a pseudo-firstorder kinetics model with a rate constant (k1) of 0.0380 min-1. Furthermore, the investigation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has identified superoxide radicals (O2 -) as the major species responsible for the degradation process, which was confirmed through radical scavenging experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most effective approach to develop new photocatalysts involves solar activation and prevention of the recombination of photogenerated hole–electron pairs. To achieve these goals, in this work, a series of bismuth oxyiodide and graphene oxide (BiOI/GO) composites were synthesized by a simple ex situ method. The structural, morphological, optical, and electrical properties of the synthesized compounds were thoroughly investigated. The photooxidation reaction of NO in the gas phase under visible light irradiation was used to assess the photocatalytic activity of BiOI/GO composites. The results showed that a small amount of GO significantly improved the photocatalytic activity. The BiOI/GO-0.5% sample prepared with 0.5 wt% GO showed the highest NO conversion (∼100%), indicating excellent photocatalytic stability after four continuous irradiation cycles and a high selectivity of 97% for nitrate ion formation. The increase in photocatalytic activity was mainly related to increased light absorption, high specific surface area, and better separation of light-generated charges. The use of chemical scavengers contributed to clarifying certain aspects of the possible photooxidation process of NO, which demonstrated that superoxide radicals (˙O2−) could be the main factor responsible for the photodegradation of NO by BiOI/GO-0.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dye wastewater green treatment has always been one of the research hotspots in the environmental protection and remediation field. The photocatalytic degradation and mineralization of organic dyes are considered to be an energy conservation and effective wastewater remediation technology. Novel CuWO4/WO3 S-scheme nano-heterojunction microspheres were prepared through a convenient hydrothermal route and impregnation–calcination method. The structure, composition, electrochemistry and optical properties of the nano-heterojunction microspheres were systematically evaluated via XRD, SEM, TEM, electrochemical analysis and spectrometry, and the photocatalytic activity of CuWO4/WO3 was investigated using methylene blue (MB) as the probe under visible light irradiation. The CuWO4/WO3 S-scheme nano-heterojunction exhibited a boosted photocatalytic activity compared with WO3 owing to a decrease in carrier transfer resistance and an increase in carrier separation efficiency. The MB degradation rate of the CuWO4/WO3-10 S-scheme nano-heterojunction microspheres is 1.83 and 3.10 times higher than that of pure WO3·2H2O and WO3 microspheres, respectively. Based on the active species capture experiments and the Mott–Schottky curve, an S-scheme mechanism of the photogenerated carrier transfer was elucidated. This study reveals a design and method for the synthesis of S-scheme nano-heterojunction catalysts for application in the wastewater purification field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation of two tri-iodide salts, C7H11N2+·I3−·0.5H2O (1) and (C2H5)4N+·I3− (2), synthesized by the slow diffusion method in solution, is reported. Their structures have been characterized by means of single-crystal X-ray diffraction. They consist of two different arrangements of tri-iodide ions, organized in a one-dimensional linear chain for 1 and in two-dimensional T-shaped sheets for 2, stabilized by 4-dimethylaminopyridinium and tetraethylammonium ligands. An asymmetry of the tri-iodide anions is observed in both structures, and is associated to the I⋯I halogen and hydrogen bonding interactions. The generation of the resulting supramolecular networks for these compounds was found to be driven by hydrogen-bond assisted self-assembly. The crystal structures of the two compounds were found to be supported essentially by H⋯I interactions between organic molecules and tri-iodide anions. For compound 2, an additionally stabilization by O⋯H/H⋯O interactions due to the presence of water molecules occurs. The dominant intermolecular interactions and their directionality have been examined by Hirshfeld surfaces and fingerprint analysis. Both compounds were characterized further by FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy, TGA/DTG and UV-visible absorption by means of thin film methods. The target compounds were also studied computationally using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) approaches to explore their potential performances and to rationalize the experimental results. An electronic transition from 3σg to has been proven to dominate intramolecular charge transfer occurring for both 1 and 2. This electronic communication leads to an HOMO–LUMO energy gap of 4.208 eV for 1 and 4.255 eV for 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiO2/rGO (TG) composites were synthesized using a hydrothermal reduction method, with titanium dioxide and graphene as the starting materials. Subsequently, dye-sensitizing titanium dioxide/graphene photocatalytic composites, named DTG and APTG, were prepared by covalently attaching C.I. Direct Black 17 or C.I. Acid Violet 3 dye onto TG. The composites were characterized using FTIR, TEM, UV-vis DRS, EDS, and Raman spectroscopy. The EDS surface scanning results of APTG and D2.70TG composites have shown that Ti and S atoms are uniformly distributed on the graphene sheets. The presence of characteristic peaks for S2p and N1s near 166 eV and 399 eV in D2.70TG and APTG was intensified compared to those of TG composites. The grafting rate reached its peak when the amount of C.I. Direct Black 17 was 2.70 and the fixed amount of TG was 0.1 g. The UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy study results demonstrated a shift in the response range to visible light after dye modification for DTGs and APTG. Photocatalytic experiments showed that D2.70TG was capable of removing over 99% of MB within 1 hour. Furthermore, after 5 cycles of photocatalytic experiments, the removal rate of MB remained at above 95%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study developed an efficient photocatalyst for hydrogen production, consisting of CdS nanorods and the CoTPPBr4 co-catalyst. The synthesized photocatalyst was characterized using a suite of techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, and ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS). Additionally, transient photocurrent response and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were carried out to further probe the material's properties. Our findings demonstrate that the CoTPPBr4 co-catalyst significantly enhances the photocatalytic H2 evolution efficiency under visible light irradiation. Notably, among the tested photocatalysts, a 12.5% CoTPPBr4/CdS composite exhibited the most superior photocatalytic performance, achieving a hydrogen production rate of 41.3 mmol g−1 h−1, which is 4.1 times higher than that of pristine CdS. The introduction of CoTPPBr4 effectively facilitates charge transfer within CdS, enhances the separation efficiency of light-induced electron–hole pairs, and boosts the surface H2-evolution kinetics. This research not only introduces a promising photocatalyst for visible light-driven hydrogen production but also provides a way for the development of highly efficient and stable CdS-based hybrid semiconductor nanocomposites suitable for diverse photocatalytic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross-coupling reactions play a vital role in modern organic synthesis, enabling the construction of necessary C–C or C–(het)atom bonds for synthetic transformations. Although C(sp2)–C and C(sp2)–N cross-coupling reactions have received significant attention, recent advancements have also highlighted the significance of C(sp2)–S cross-coupling reactions. These reactions lead to the synthesis of valuable compounds, including pharmaceuticals and materials. In a recent report, we introduced Adaptive Dynamic Homogeneous Catalysis (AD-HoC) as an efficient method for C(sp2)–S cross-coupling reactions. This method operates without the need for any ligands, base, or additional additives, relying solely on essential parameters. In this report, we discuss the use of mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride (mpg-CN) as an all-organic heterogeneous photocatalyst in such transformations. The versatility and robustness of the reaction are showcased with fifty synthetic examples, achieving up to a 98% yield. The use of mpg-CN as a catalyst additionally enables the easy recovery of the photocatalyst from the reaction mixture and facilitates the sequential execution of multiple cross-coupling reactions with consistent yields of the desired products using a simple setup. This approach is a significant advancement in the field, both in terms of operational simplicity and environmental impact, traits that we all envision for sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of antibiotics in aquatic systems poses a significant risk to both the ecological balance and human health. To address this issue, the development of advanced photocatalytic materials capable of efficiently treating antibiotic-contaminated wastewater is imperative. In this investigation, we successfully synthesized nitrogen–phosphorus co-doped carbon dots (NPCDs) modified (001) TiO2/Ti3C2Tx composites via a series of uncomplicated hydrothermal reactions, ensuring visible light responsivity. Comprehensive characterization of the composite photocatalysts was conducted using XRD, FT-IR, N2 adsorption, SEM, TEM, XPS, UV-Vis DRS, and PL techniques. Subsequently, the photocatalytic performance was assessed through the degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) and ceftiofur sodium solutions under visible light irradiation. The optimized composites exhibited remarkable photocatalytic degradation efficiencies of 93.4% and 75.5% for TC and ceftiofur sodium, respectively, under visible light, following quasi-primary kinetic behavior. Reactive free radical capture experiments highlighted the predominant roles of ˙O2− and ˙OH species in the photocatalytic degradation process. Additionally, we proposed plausible mechanisms governing photocatalytic degradation based on the obtained results. The heightened photocatalytic reactivity arises from the efficient transfer of photogenerated electrons through the NPCDs → TiO2 →Ti3C2Tx pathway, a mechanism that effectively facilitates the separation and transfer of photogenerated charge carriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reported an Aux/BaTiO3 plasmonic photocatalyst with superior photocatalytic CO2 reduction performance under visible light irradiation compared to ordinary BaTiO3. This is mainly attributed to the introduction of plasmonic Au NPs, which improves the separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers and further enhances the photocatalytic CO2 reduction performance of the catalyst through the hot electrons generated by the LSPR effect. The photocatalytic conversion rates of CO2 to CO and CH4 by Au5/BaTiO3 reached 62.3 and 20.7 μmol g−1 h−1, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we used a hydrothermal method and calcination at different temperatures to synthesize Ca2Nb2O7 composite oxides with two different sub-crystalline phases, namely perovskite and pyrochlore. From the photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline, the catalytic activity of the pyrochlore crystalline phase is higher than that of the perovskite crystalline phase. This is because the pyrochlore phase structure is more disordered, which has abundant oxygen vacancies and can generate more ·O2−, h+, and ·OH under visible light irradiation. Additionally, it has a smaller bandgap and a lower valence band energy. The combination of these factors enables the higher reaction activity of the pyrochlore phase structure compared with the perovskite crystalline phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we report the intermolecular photocatalytic addition of amines and alkenes using metal-free conditions. Benzophenone was added as a photosensitizer to accelerate the single electron transfers, H-atom transfers and generation of α-aminoalkyl radicals. N-Alkyl anilines were alkylated with high selectivity and broad substrate scope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While metal–organic framework (MOF) photocatalysts have demonstrated a unique Cr(VI) photoreduction capability in recent decades, their performance is still insufficient for practical applications because of their low Cr(VI) uptake and poor visible light response. To cope with these drawbacks, a new OH-modified Zr-based MOF, termed HCMUE-1, was successfully prepared via a solvothermal method in this work. The complete characterization of HCMUE-1 was performed through various techniques, including powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (TGA-DSC), scanning electron microscopy combined with energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The obtained data exhibited the excellent Cr(VI) photoreduction efficiency of HCMUE-1, reaching up to 98% after 90 min and almost 100% after 120 min under visible light illumination in a low acidic medium. Noteworthily, HCMUE-1 retained the same Cr(VI) removal rate for at least seven cycles without considerable loss. Further experimental investigations demonstrated that the structural stability and surface morphology of HCMUE-1 were retained after photoreduction. Moreover, the photocatalytic reduction mechanism of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) was interpreted through a series of systematic experimental measurements. These results indicate that HCMUE-1 possesses potential as an efficient photocatalyst for reducing toxic Cr(VI) species from wastewater in real-life conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]